Sylviid warblers · Perching birds
Eurasian Blackcap
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Sylvia atricapilla
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Voice
Song
steve
Song
Philippe_Grange
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
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13–15 cm, a bit smaller than a sparrow
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Olive-grey upperparts, paler grey below
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Male with black cap; female with reddish-brown cap
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Song: soft chatter, then a clear fluting ending
About the species
The blackcap moves through shrubs and tree cover with quick, quiet purpose, and the male’s short black cap is the easiest thing to notice at a glance. Females wear a brown cap instead, while the rest of the plumage stays plain and soft-toned.
The male sings a rich, varied warble that often builds to a sharp high finish. Outside the breeding season it is quieter, though it can still give a hard "tac-tac" call and other brief notes. It also shifts its habits with the season, feeding on insects when raising young and turning to fruit later in the year.
Blackcaps use mature deciduous woodland, but they also take to parks, large gardens, hedges, and other places with tall trees and dense undergrowth. In winter, many move south, while some stay in milder parts of the range or turn up in gardens, where they take berries and other soft food.
Where to find
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In mature city parks with tall deciduous trees — especially old oaks and lindens — the Eurasian Blackcap often gives itself away with a rich, flute-like song from the canopy.
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Along riverbanks and canal edges, in willow thickets, elder and bramble patches, it is easiest to spot when it hops quickly through the branches hunting insects.
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In late summer and autumn, look on berry bushes along scrubby edges and vacant lots, where it feeds quietly in low cover.
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On quiet garden paths and overgrown hedges, listen at dawn for the male singing from a treetop.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Sylvia atricapilla Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian blackcap Encyclopedia article